Escaped inmate Nicole Adele Gaffney, 24, was taken into custody on Monday, June 16, 2025, at approximately 3:00 PM, after walking out of the Bell County Jail on Friday by falsely identifying herself as another inmate slated for release. She is currently being transported back to the Bell County Jail by Bell County Sheriff’s Deputies, with assistance from the Bell County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.
Gaffney had been booked into the jail on Friday, June 13, at 11:15 AM, after being arraigned by District Judge Wade Faulkner on a charge of hindering apprehension or prosecution. Her bond was set at $5,000.
The Bell County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a "security lapse" at the jail on June 13, 2025, is under active investigation. Sheriff Bill Cooke stated that "protocols, procedures, and policy were not followed," leading to the suspension of two jailers during the initial review.
Sheriff Cooke took responsibility for the lapse, adding, “Bell County has hundreds of professional jail personnel that work tirelessly twenty-four hours a day to keep the citizens of Bell County safe and secure.”
